The present invention relates to the general field of machines for cutting paper, board, thin wood, woven industrial fabric with or without a coating, leather or other materials using a laser beam; it relates more particularly to a slat system for a depositing table of a laser-cutting machine.
Laser-cutting machines are generally used for the precision cutting of complex shapes into products in sheet or plate form. These machines generally consist of a table on which the product to be cut is deposited and of a device for generating a laser beam.
Although the laser device is an essential element in these machines, the table on which the product is deposited is also a key element for obtaining quality cutting of the product of interest. Specifically, this table must support the product to be cut and have sufficient resistance to impingement by the laser beam while at the same time providing effective heat dissipation.
Currently, some tables for receiving the product to be cut are formed by a juxtaposition of slats whose upper surface is intended to support the product during cutting; the entirety of the juxtaposed slats forms the plane on which the product to be cut is deposited.
This upper surface may have a honeycomb-type structure. However, this honeycomb profile may prove difficult to clean. Furthermore, in the event of damage, the slat must be replaced in its entirety. Also, this honeycomb structure does not form a true obstacle to the progression of the laser beam, and this may cause problems in terms of damage to the underlying equipment, thus requiring the presence of an add-on element to deviate the said laser beam.
Also known from the abstract of Patent JP 08 108291 is a cutting table formed by a juxtaposition of plates which are inclined with respect to the direction of the laser beam in order to allow deflection of the beam between two adjacent plates.
The aim of this inclined arrangement of the plates is to attenuate the energy of the laser beam as it passes through the table. However, the impact of the laser beam on the inclined plates may pollute and damage the product to be cut.